Business Matters Winter 2019

2019 Board of Directors

CEO Message

BUSINESS MATTERS

Met @ The Chamber

Winter 2019 VICTORIACHAMBER.CA

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A better foundation for housing in Greater Victoria Why non-market housing is the key to growing our workforce

Working together to build good business and great community.

SAME FAMILY VALUES. NEW ENERGY. The Butler name has been at the foundation of successful Island businesses for 80 years. And though our name has changed, our passion for giving back and protecting this beautiful place we call home remains as strong as ever.

Butler Concrete & Aggregate looks forward to our next chapter and we thank you all for your continued support.

We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment.

V I C TO R I A • C E N T R A L S A A N I C H • S O O K E • D U N C A N For a full list of services and location info, visit our website or call 250-652-4484.

BUSINESS MATTERS Winter 2019

Business Matters is a bi-annual publication of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and a key business resource targeted to 2,000 business leaders in our community.

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce is a progressive, inclusive and dynamic community leader. It is a supportive resource for business people who wish to learn, grow and create a stronger business and a more robust and sustainable community.

To advertise in Business Matters, contact us at: The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce 100-852 Fort St. Victoria, B.C. V8W 1H8 250-383-7191 chamber@victoriachamber.ca

Attorney General of BC David Eby speaks at a Chamber luncheon in November 2018.

View upcoming events on page 17 or online at victoriachamber.ca.

Contents 5 6

CEO Message

Working together to build good business and great community.

2019 Advocacy Priorities

What will The Chamber focus its advocacy efforts on in 2019? Find out this year’s most important issues.

10 12 17

2019 Board of Directors

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Introducing our new members!

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Meet the multi-faceted 15-person Board of Directors that represents you.

Feature: Finding our way home

Why non-market housing is the key to keeping and growing our workforce.

Chamber Events: Something for everyone

Nothing can duplicate meeting face-to-face with the connections you need to do business.

Welcome to those who’ve decided to join the people who get things done.

Membership — it's about the company we keep.

Met @ The Chamber

We know that business grows and runs better with influential connections.

We want to help you with that. We’ve included just a few recent stories of connections made by people who Met @ The Chamber.

Publication Mail Poste-Publications 40005319

Working together to build good business and great community.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

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With Best Doctors, you have access to the top medical specialists from around the world.

You can resolve any medical uncertainty and make the best decisions for you and your family’s health.

Wonderful support Your local advisor and the people behind Chambers Plan will always listen first, take the time to explain and be flexible – and those are the kind of people you want on your side.

Get a free quote at ChamberPlan.ca or contact your local Chambers Plan advisor

Robert Jack Jack Insurance & Financial Ph: 250-383-9866 Fax: 250-383-6241 rob@jackinsurance.ca

Message from CEO Catherine Holt

The Chamber: Building Good Business and Great Community At our planning session last fall, The Chamber board tackled the task of updating our vision and mission for the next four years.

The purpose of a mission statement is to capture the reason we exist. The purpose of a vision statement is to express our aspirations. It should describe what we would be if we are successful in our mission. Ideally, both are short, memorable, pithy statements that help focus whatever the organization does with its time and resources.

We like where we ended up.

Our mission is that we are: Working together to build good business and great community.

It expresses a number of important things about The Chamber.

Members very much work together as a network. We help each other with our businesses and our community contributions, as well as personally. As a chamber, we collaborate with many other associations and community leaders who have a role in ensuring our region prospers.

That leads to the second part: building good business. This means doing well, and making positive and important contributions. Both meanings certainly capture the spirit and intent of The Chamber.

The purpose of working together to build good business is not only for individual success but very much for the community. And not just the “business community.” That’s a label I don’t agree with or understand. Business is an essential part of community and certainly not a separate group. I have been continually impressed by the efforts of chamber members to contribute in meaningful ways to make this a better place. You donate, sponsor, volunteer, mentor, advise, lead, invest, employ and pay taxes. All of that contributes to making this a great community.

If we are successful at working together to build good business and great community, we hope to achieve our vision: The Chamber is the region’s most diverse and influential business association.

To do that we need to be diverse, and we’ve been steadily working on that. Diversity means many things. We need to include members from all local municipalities and First Nations and beyond. We need big organizations and small businesses.

We need the stability of members who have been with us for a long time, and the rejuvenation of new members from up-andcoming companies. We need members from every sector: retail and hospitality, tech companies, arts and sports organizations, manufacturing, professional services, finance, education, public and not-for-profit entities.

And we need a diversity of faces, backgrounds, and ideas at our events and around our board and committee tables. We want everyone who supports the mission of The Chamber to have the opportunity to work together including new arrivals, indigenous people, young and old, men and women and everyone in between.

We benefit from every additional point-of-view and personal contribution.

Diversity is the pathway that enables us to be the influential business association we aspire to be. Thank you, every one of you, for being The Chamber.

As with the mission, the vision should resonate with our members and anyone who wants to understand who we are.

There are a few important concepts embedded in our vision statement. First, we see ourselves as a chamber that works on behalf of, and advocates for, the whole region. That’s why our name is the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

Working together to build good business and great community.

Catherine Holt Chief Executive Officer

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

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Attracting & Retaining Workers a. Affordable and Available Housing b. Adequate Labour Supply Greater Victoria's economic engines are firing on all cylinders. As the seat of the provincial government, our large public sector helps regulate the local economy during downturns.

With record-setting tourism numbers and a thriving technology hub, the table is set for entrepreneurs to find success by providing goods and services. However, there is a growing concern that a lack of workers is keeping businesses from reaching their potential. A victim of our success in some ways, Greater Victoria has become too expensive for the working families that are needed to fill jobs. Our jobless rate of 3.9% is among the lowest in Canada, which means we need to tackle the root of the issue and find new sources of potential employees.

Efficient immigration processes and relevant immigration targets, as well as domestic mobility programs, help increase the supply of talent.

The Chamber will continue to advocate for government assistance in hiring workers, both foreign and domestic. Further, The Chamber will work collaboratively with local governments and like-minded stakeholders to enhance Greater Victoria’s reputation as a world-class place to live, learn and work.

d. Affordable and available child care 6

An ongoing issue for our region, the rapid increase in real estate prices, has left many workers unable to afford to buy in Greater Victoria. Add a rental market that was at a 0.7% vacancy rate this summer and it's clear why employers continue to struggle to fill important positions in their business.

The Chamber has advocated for all levels of government to do more to keep housing prices affordable. Government responded by raising the tax on foreign buyers and filling loopholes that allowed offshore buyers to disguise their identity. However, the speculation and vacancy tax has proven to be a blunt response that needs refining if it is to function as intended.

We need to realize the distinctions between workforce housing and our region's real estate market, and support both. Greater Victoria is an attractive location for international investment and a place people want to live.

The key will be adding to our supply of non-market housing with affordable costs that reflect the earnings of employees. *See more on this priority on page 12.

c. Improving Regional Transportation Commuters cross municipal borders many times per day. Having different rules and disconnected strategies for regional traffic doesn't make sense.

We need to make the most efficient use of our network of roads and other modes of transportation.

Reducing commute times and making public transit more convenient improves life for workers by expanding the number of areas that are suitable for homes.

There was good news as BC Premier John Horgan told The Chamber that his government is committed to using the E&N corridor to connect the West Shore with downtown.

The Chamber will continue advocating for a Regional Transportation Commission based on successful Regional Transit Commission with multimodal planning, funding, and operating responsibility.

We will also continue advocating for sufficient parking to ensure that delivery drivers, workers and shoppers have access to downtown businesses.

After housing, child care is often the biggest expense for a working family. As a vocal advocate for child care solutions, The Chamber welcomes the provincial government's efforts to improve accessibility to affordable child care and the leadership of School District 61 in providing facilities.

The Chamber will continue calling on all levels of government and post secondary schools to increase training and wages for child care workers so that more are available to staff newly funded spaces.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Working together to build good business and great community.

2019 Public Policy and Advocacy Committee The Chamber's Board of Directors rely on the Public Policy and Advocacy committee for recommendations on shaping policy that helps advance the interests of Greater Victoria's business community.

• Chair: John Wilson, Wilson's Group of Companies • Vice Chair: Carmen Charette, University of Victoria • Ian Batey, IPB Consulting Services • Jeff Bray, Downtown Victoria Business Association • Frank Bourree, Chemistry Consulting Group Inc. and GT Hiring Solutions • Capt. (N) Jason Boyd, CFB Esquimalt • Sara Burchnall, Royal Bank of Canada • Christina Clarke, Songhees Nation • Brianna Green, Wilson’s Group of Companies • Brian White, McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd.

Safe Communities

• Charlotte A. Salomon, QC, McConnan Bion O’Connor & Peterson The Chamber recognizes that a safe community is the foundation all of us rely on in order to function in our daily lives and businesses. We continue to hear from members that changes in the homeless population and a shift in the type of street drugs being consumed is causing increased disruption to our downtown.

Recognizing the roots of homelessness allows us to seek proven solutions. The Chamber advocated on behalf of our community partners at Our Place in support of their work to open a Therapeutic Recovery Community in View Royal. This strategy is internationally proven to have the best chance of rehabilitating people struggling with addictions.

Fair Regulations Small business is the backbone of our local economy, but we need to make sure business has a voice that is heard by municipal leaders.

Businesses pay property taxes in order for the city to maintain social order and enable business and citizens to function. Safe communities require the rule of law, adequate police resources, honest and transparent governance, the active participation of citizens and adequate housing and services to care for those who cannot care for themselves.

Businesses can't be the targets of local governments that are paying more costs traditionally borne by senior levels of government.

The Chamber has been tracking the disparity between residential and business property taxes, and calling out councils that unfairly burden businesses because it's politically convenient.

The Chamber is also the provincial leader in calling for changes to BC's Employer Health Tax. We have met with senior levels of government and organized letter writing campaigns on behalf of business leaders and other chambers.

The province is rushing ahead on the EHT, but we will continue raising awareness about how this tax will hurt investment and discourage employers from hiring new staff or increasing wages.

Working together to build good business and great community.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

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HIRE A CO-OP STUDENT Hire employees with real-world skills relevant to today’s workplace.

Co-operative Education Program and Career Services uvic.ca/employers 250.721.6616

Co-op and Career Services camosun.ca/cecs 250.370.4410 Working together to build good business and great community.

Effective Local Governance and Services There was a major breakthrough in 2018 for the ongoing but unfinished conversation around amalgamation in Greater Victoria.

As part of the fall civic elections, Saanich and Victoria asked voters for explicit support to explore merging the two municipalities. The outcome was a clear yes, and The Chamber will continue to follow up with the new councils. The Chamber strongly supports using a citizens assembly process to ensure the decision is taken out of the hands of politicians and municipal staff who may have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.

Businesses want an end to the frustration caused by wasting time and money on duplicate efforts in order to operate in multiple, adjacent municipalities. Joining Saanich and Victoria will result in a magnificent new municipality. It will also create efficiencies, enhance our region’s reputation and increase our ability to compete for resources against larger cities.

Improving the Regional Economy The Chamber effectively connects the many private sector, non-profit and government organizations that play a role in Greater Victoria’s economy.

We will continue to champion a regional approach to economic development.

As an incubator of organizations ranging from Destination Greater Victoria to the South Island Prosperity Project, The Chamber has proven to be effective at helping our region develop a vibrant and resilient economy.

We will continue to support investment in Greater Victoria businesses, while building effective and highly valuable relationships with decision-makers.

Finding Climate Change Solutions The Chamber supports innovations led by business to respond to the challenges of a changing climate.

Our members are concerned about the emerging risks linked to climate change and how various regulatory bodies will react to the need to reduce emissions through legislation.

Business have an opportunity to provide leadership during the ongoing transition to efficient sources of renewable energy.

The Chamber will continue to advocate for sensible solutions, and support public goals to ensure our region’s long-term economic prosperity.

As well, The Chamber will work with members and partner organizations to provide assistance and benefits that help businesses working on sustainable initiatives.

Greater Victoria businesses are well poised to gain competitive advantages by taking steps now to help society move toward environmental sustainability.

Working together to build good business and great community.

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The 15-person Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors represents all facets of Chamber membership.

The influential board works with decision-makers at all levels of government to support our region’s business interests as well as maximize the value of membership with The Chamber.

The Chamber’s CEO, Catherine Holt, is the 15th member of the board and a member of the Executive.

Executive Dan Dagg • Chair Dan is the president and CEO of Hothouse Marketing and H2 Digital, Victoria based marketing-communications firms with a regional, national and international client base. Dan has served on The Chamber’s Board since 2010.

John Wilson • Vice-Chair John is the President and CEO of The Wilson’s Group of Companies, Vancouver Island’s largest privately owned bus company and an industry leader in BC. The Wilson’s Group operates Wilson’s Transportation, the YYJ Airport Shuttle, BC Ferries Connector, Gray Line Sightseeing Victoria, Capital City Station and the Capital City Cafe. John has served on The Chamber’s Board since 2011.

2019 Board of Directors Al Hasham • Past Chair Al is a man who delivers. With his two businesses, Maximum Express Courier Freight and Logistics and Max Furniture, he looks after the delivery and furniture needs of business and the general public.

Al has served on The Chamber’s Board since 2010.

Kris Wirk • Treasurer As a partner with the accounting firm Dusanj & Wirk, Kris brings over 13 years experience in providing accounting and tax services for ownermanaged businesses, individuals and non-profit organizations. Kris has served on The Chamber’s Board since 2016.

Christina Clarke • Secretary Christina is Executive Director for Songhees Nation, a First Nations Government, providing education, health and social services, and local government services to members and residents.

Christina has served on The Chamber's Board since 2018.

Only rain in the drain.

Parking lot catch basins fill up with leaves, grease and litter all year long—only to overflow when the heavy rains hit.

Have the catch basins on your property cleaned every year to prevent flooding and ensure that the debris they collect never makes it to the ocean.

For more information, visit:

www.crd.bc.ca/catchbasin

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BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Working together to build good business and great community.

2019 Board of Directors

Directors Ian Batey As Principal, IPB Consulting, Ian provides essential advice to individuals and organizations built on enduring relationships, trust and transparency. He contributes significant leadership and energy to the community in an effort to increase affordable housing and end homelessness. Ian has served on The Chamber’s Board since 2018.

Dr. Pedro Márquez Pedro is the Vice President Global, Marketing and Business Development at Royal Roads University, working closely with business and the community to capitalize opportunities, synergies and advancement, both in Canada and Mexico. Pedro began serving on The Chamber's Board in 2019.

Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd Jason is the Commander of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt, one of Greater Victoria’s largest employers and contributors to the economy. Jason has served on The Chamber's Board since 2017.

Paul van Koll Paul is a Senior Manager at KPMG where he provides accounting, assurance and tax services to businesses, not-for-profit organizations and individuals. Paul began serving on The Chamber’s Board in 2019.

Carmen Charette Carmen is the Vice-President External Relations at the University of Victoria, one of Greater Victoria's largest employers and contributors to the economy. Carmen has served on The Chamber's Board since 2016.

Danielle Mulligan As an Annual Giving Officer at the University of Victoria, Danielle is responsible for many campus events that raise funds to support students and programs that transform people, places and the planet. Danielle serves on The Chamber’s Board as the 2019 Prodigy Group Chair.

Lise Gyorkos Lise is president and co-owner of Page One Publishing Inc., creator of Douglas, YAM and Spruce magazines. Lise has served on The Chamber's Board since 2016.

Moira Hauk Moira is the Regional Manager, South Island for Coastal Community Credit Union; the largest Island-based Credit Union.

With over 600 employees, Coastal Community is a strong supporter of economic development across the Island. Moira began serving on The Chamber’s Board in 2019.

Rahim Khudabux Rahim is the GM and Owner of Max Furniture, a locally owned and operated furniture store specializing in Canadian made and good quality furniture for the home or office. Rahim has served on The Chamber's Board since 2018.

“I found that radio works well because it pays for itself. It drives people to the website and they pick up the phone to call. We decided to go hard on The Q! and it worked!”

- Brody Funk, owner, Super Plumber

www.VictoriaAdvertising.ca Hear what some of our other clients have to say at www.VictoriaAdvertising.ca/client

Working together to build good business and great community.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

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Finding our way home Why non-market housing is the key to growing our workforce

Benito Malengera is new to Victoria, recently arrived from Alberta.

He’s young, earns a great living and is beginning to think of settling down to start a family. He recently moved to James Bay with his girlfriend, but his experience finding a home to rent has him secondguessing a life in Victoria.

“It was brutal, really, really brutal,” he says. “I work full-time and I spent pretty much a full week of my time filling out applications and then there would be five people waiting in line (to view a unit).”

He looked at 18 places before reaching a deal.

“It was almost like a job interview,” he says of meeting potential landlords. “I never had to deal with that until I came to Victoria.”

Perched on the Pacific, next door to one of the most coveted wilderness areas on earth, our region has the amenities of an international city with a Mediterranean climate and our quality of life is the envy of most of the world.

People want to live here, and, as a result, Greater Victoria’s real estate prices have more in common with mega cities like Toronto and Vancouver than population peers such as Halifax or Saskatoon.

Those who were lucky to have picked up property before the real estate rush are sitting on gold. Houses are up an average of 42 per cent over three years, while condos jumped 52 per cent. However, those who have yet to enter the market are left scrambling to find somewhere they can afford based on wages that have not kept pace with housing costs.

“Greater Victoria real estate has always sold at a premium price, but we have entered a new paradigm that has disrupted the ability of our economy to reach its potential,” says Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Catherine Holt. “The biggest challenge we hear about from businesses is how difficult it is to attract and retain employees. That’s why advocating for affordable workforce housing is such a high priority for us.”

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BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Working together to build good business and great community.

People born in Greater Victoria who dream of continuing their life here face a steep hill without significant financial help. However, childhood homes are often part of parents’ retirement plans and priced out of reach of the next generation. If they want to stay in Greater Victoria as adults, they’re faced with moving to the suburbs or leaving the region altogether.

It’s a similar story for new blood arriving on our doorsteps eager to fill job openings and start businesses. The lack of available and affordable housing has a trickledown effect that is squeezing out everything we love about life in the city. Child-care centres can’t afford their rent, space is too costly to use for parking lots, and we don’t have the critical mass of population needed to afford transportation solutions used in megacities, such as rapid transit.

Malengera works as a carpenter on Esquimalt’s town square project. He and his girlfriend live in a 1,200 square-foot condo they rent for $1,950, plus about $400 for utilities.

Fortunately, it’s a manageable cost taking up less than a quarter of his monthly earnings. His skills are in high demand right now, with the construction industry operating at a bustling pace in Greater Victoria.

He has enough saved for a down payment but is watching the market before jumping in. With home values so high, he’s waiting to see if prices drop. He’s also still weighing the benefits of living in Greater Victoria against how much farther his money would go in Alberta or Ontario.

She says moving back into the core is no longer a realistic option, though leaving the region entirely has come up.

“We have considered moving up-Island, as housing costs are much lower, and there seems to be less competition for jobs outside of Victoria,” she says, noting that the lack of housing has also created difficulties for her company’s ability to find staff.

“We employ seasonally, and have started avoiding hiring people from outside Victoria, as (affordable) housing is impossible to locate, especially for those only here for the summer. One of our owners rented out a bedroom, but it wasn't a long-term solution. We have even helped people find places to park their van or RV overnight, and once employed and supported someone who lived on a beach.”

Letting our market economy find the balance between supply and demand would work, if the problem was simply about the supply of homes. However, the issue is the cost of land, and no one is building more of that in Greater Victoria.

The cost of materials and even labour are relative, no matter where in BC you build a house.

“I'm not sure of the solution,” Mitchell says “More housing options would be nice. All the new housing seems to be condos — but

we want outdoor space of our own. Density is important to lower footprint, but perhaps mixed with commercial property to avoid cramping people in?”

Rory Kulmala, CEO of the Vancouver Island Construction Association, says the cost of housing in our region has always been more expensive than most other places in the country.

“Our market has always reflected a premium for the pleasure of living on Vancouver Island and, with rental vacancies below one per cent, the reality of this has only been exacerbated,” he says, adding that the construction industry is also dealing with difficulty attracting and retaining skilled trades.

Construction activity is very active across Canada, and workers are being gainfully employed within their own communities so there is less pressure for them to follow the work.

“Given the higher costs of housing here, people are more apt to remain in, or move to, a region with a more affordable market — particularly if they want to raise a family,” Kulmala says. “Layer this on the fact that we are seeing fewer and fewer people entering the trades, and it makes any and every opportunity to recruit talent a challenge.”

Any solution will require making more

“I’ve thought about it many times,” he says, noting that buying a home in Greater Victoria is a commitment best suited for people who are ready to invest in a longterm life in the region.

For now, Malengera is happy to do work he enjoys and live in a neighbourhood that’s close to the vibrancy of downtown. But, when the day comes to settle down, he knows the reality will likely mean settling for somewhere farther away. Asked what he would tell someone ready to start a family now, he says “I would say look outside of Victoria. Look at (the West Shore) if you don’t mind the commute. It’s much more affordable. That’s the advice I would give.”

Sarah Mitchell lives on the West Shore with her husband and their two children.

“I rent in the West Shore area because it's halfway between my place of employment and my husband's place of employment,” says Mitchell, who works at AdrenaLINE adventure tours outside Sooke. “We used to own in Saanich but couldn't afford to purchase after selling.”

Benito Malengera works as a carpenter on Esquimalt’s town square project.

Even making a great wage he struggled to find housing in Greater Victoria when he arrived from Alberta.

Working together to build good business and great community.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

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housing available, Kulmala says.

“We cannot be stalling reasonable development projects in red tape or political bureaucracy,” he says, pointing to the quagmire of dealing with 13 municipalities that can’t agree on a regional approach to the issue. “We seem to have a big city housing market with a small city economy. We need to think more long term, let the market drive the real estate requirements, get new buildings happening faster to free up older properties that might serve better at a lower rental rate.”

However, if the market is creating luxury condos that appeal to the planet’s wealthiest citizens, how do we ensure there are also homes for workers earning an average income?

Governments can’t — and shouldn’t — force employers to raise wages high enough to cover market housing costs. It should be obvious that labour costs become unfeasible if they make an organization lose money. We would squelch any incentive for entrepreneurs to take on the risk of starting up a new business dependent on employees.

A better solution already exists. Looking abroad, a few cities have managed to become shining examples of how to effectively provide affordable housing to their citizens. And they have done it by avoiding the pitfalls that the majority of other cities have fallen into. Rather than treating adequate housing as a privilege, it is a right and therefore plays a central role in government policy.

The island nation of Singapore struggled with affordable housing for decades. As the city state has become a global financial hub, it has gone through a population boom and a flood of foreign investment leading to astronomical real estate prices.

Government responded by building firstrate public housing and using quotas to ensure the occupants reflected the makeup of society as a whole. More than 80 per cent of residents now live in marketcontrolled homes built by the government.

Perhaps the most celebrated case study though is Vienna, Austria.

Before the Second World War, rent controls had curtailed housing supply. That, along with city ownership of urban land, helped create an ideal climate for non-market housing. The city government chose the top private developers to enrich the social fabric of public housing through architectural design and planning.

Homes for families and the workforce are managed by non-profit corporations and rents reflect the actual incomes of wage earners.

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Working together to build good business and great community.

Photo by Thomas Ledl

Alt Erlaa is Vienna's social housing masterpiece.

It has approximately 3,200 units, and 65 per cent of them have at least three rooms. There are currently about 9,000 residents.

Amenities include a shopping centre, medical centres, schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, tennis courts, city-park-sized green areas and about 3,400 parking spaces.

Greater victoria housing society's Workforce Housing • Dahli Place at 35 Gorge Rd. East is a 68-unit building with studio, one and two bedroom apartments, available to households with incomes up to $90,000 per year • Pembroke Mews is a 25-unit building with studios and onebedroom apartments at 2014 Government St., available to households with incomes up to $40,000 per year.

• Someone working at minimum wage makes $28,080 a year, if they work full time.

The experiment worked and the housing from that era has avoided many of the traps that have befallen public housing in other cities. Rather than being stigmatized as housing for the poor, Vienna’s public housing remains in high demand across all sectors of society. To be eligible, a tenant can earn up to twice the average annual income and there are enough units to house 60 per cent of residents in the city, which directly controls 220,000 housing units.

The key to the success in both Vienna and Singapore is that non-market housing is celebrated as a long-term housing solution

rather than a stop gap that people should be discouraged from relying on.

In Greater Victoria, we already have many examples of non-market housing owned and operated by BC Housing, the Capital Regional District and local non-profits.

The University of Victoria provides student housing, with rents reflecting the ability of a student to afford to live there.

The Greater Victoria Housing Society has a total of 726 units of affordable housing, including three buildings with 112 units for people in the workforce with low to moderate incomes.

“We currently are constructing another 206 units — all of which would be available to those in the workforce, with varying incomes,” says GVHS executive director Kaye Melliship. “We have plans underway to add another 250-plus units in the next few years.”

It’s no surprise that the biggest challenge faced by the GHVS is funding. The cost of land is one factor, but there is also the expense of servicing as well as going through a rezoning process.

The biggest hurdle is finding grants that provide equity for projects.

Working together to build good business and great community.

“The more equity we have, the lower the operating costs (including mortgage payments) and the lower the rents,” Melliship says.

“We are going into a period of time where there are a lot of development sites being made available,” Melliship says. “If the province and federal government could increase their grant programs we could build a lot of housing that will be a great legacy for the future.”

There is no crystal ball to tell us how Greater Victoria will solve our crisis, but there is no reason to think this issue will go away anytime soon.

What is clear is that our business community will always need employees, and those workers will always need somewhere to live.

It’s time to accept that things are different now. We can’t stand by and hope things improve on their own.

Let’s embrace the challenge to find our own world-class solution to effective nonmarket housing and make sure we keep Greater Victoria’s economy working.

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National and Provincial Co-op Student of the Year Robin Stone | Bachelor of Business Administration Camosun College

Camosun Business Co-op student Robin Stone received dual honours this year as the National College Co-op Student of the Year and the Provincial (BC/Yukon) College Co-op Student of the Year. This marks the 11th consecutive year a Camosun student has been named the provincial co-op student of the year.

“Robin has been an exemplary student and a wonderful student ambassador of applied learning at Camosun,” says Nancy Sly, Director of Applied Learning, Co-operative Education & Career Services. “By completing two very impactful coop work terms and achieving a near-perfect GPA, she has been able to successfully apply what she has learned in the classroom to the workplace. As a result, Robin has made a tremendous impact on both the Camosun and local community.”

Graduating from the Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) program this year, Robin completed successful co-op work terms at the Risk Management Unit of the Department of National Defense, CFB Esquimalt and at Environment and Climate Change for the Government of British Columbia. She is also a graduate of Camosun’s Fine Furniture program and has been an Artist in Residence at York House School.

For more information about Co-operative Education at Camosun, call 250.370.4410 or visit www.camosun.ca/cecs

Co-operative Education Program and Career Services uvic.ca/employers 250.721.6616

Co-op and Career Services camosun.ca/cecs 250.370.4410

It’s simple.

Hire a student.

Education that works.

{Chamberevents} Prodigy Group January Mingle January 10 | 5 to 7 p.m.

The Livet 804 Broughton St.

Member Networking Breakfast February 13 | 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Sandman Hotel Victoria 2852 Douglas St.

Membership 101 January 16 | 12 to 1 p.m.

The Chamber 852 Fort St.

February Business Mixer February 21 | 5 to 7 p.m.

Royal Theatre 805 Broughton St.

Business Mixer with Destination Greater Victoria January 17 | 5 to 7 p.m.

Victoria International Marina 1 Cooperage Pl.

Social Media Seminar

Social Media Seminar

Business Leaders Luncheon

How to Use LinkedIn More Effectively February 28 | 2 to 4 p.m.

The Chamber, 852 Fort St.

Social Trends You Can Put Into Practice in 2019 January 24 | 2 to 4 p.m.

The Chamber, 852 Fort St.

Mark Collins, CEO of BC Ferries March 6 | 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour 728 Humboldt St.

Business Leaders Luncheon

Prodigy Group March Breakfast March 14 | 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Royal Roads University 2005 Sooke Rd.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, Claire Trevena January 30 | 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour 728 Humboldt St. Prodigy Group February Mingle February 7 | 5 to 7 p.m.

Vancouver Island Brewing 2330 Government St.

2019 Marketplace Mixer March 21 | 4 to 7 p.m.

Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa 100 Harbour Rd.

Family Day February 18 - office closed Chamber Week February 19-22

Social Media Seminar

Why Personalization is the Next Big Opportunity in Marketing March 28 | 2 to 4 p.m.

The Chamber, 852 Fort St.

Lower Fees.

Higher Investment IQ. The DeLuca Veale difference. Now in Victoria.

Call us today 778.433.2000 | delucaveale.com

Investment Counsel

Jonathan Veale CIM CFA Founder & Portfolio Manager

Richard DeLuca BCom CIM Founder & Portfolio Manager

Working together to build good business and great community.

Jim Stewart BSc AACI Co-Founder RealStream & Real Estate Asset Manager

P RO U D D I S T R I B U TO R O F R E A L S T R E A M

Brenda MacFarlane MBA CFP CIM Portfolio Manager

Sonja Ostopchuk

Investment Administrator

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

17

{NewMembers} Abbeymoore Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn The historic Edwardian Abbeymoore Manor is a home away from home to tourists from around the globe and locals on ‘stay’cations.

Accommodations with gourmet breakfasts included or self-catering suites available.

250-370-1470 www.abbeymoore.com ACCRES - Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers The Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers (ACCRES) is a not-for-profit corporation established to promote a community-based approach to cannabis access and support cannabis retailers to provide the highest quality of products and services.

604-710-1794 www.accres.ca Achieve Health Evidence-based multidisciplinary healthcare team. Chiropractic, registered massage therapy, acupuncture and physiotherapy.

250-384-5211 www.achievehealth.ca

Allen & Hoffman Lawyers We assist clients with immigration applications, family law issues, employment relationships, workers’ compensation claims, and investigations by professional regulators.

250-383-2727 www.allenhoffman.ca Anderson Hill Management Consulting Consulting services that provide valuable insight, expertise and support for leaders who are seeking to establish a strategic direction, clarify a plan of action and capture opportunities.

778-678-8225 www.ahmc.ca Axe & Grind We are Victoria’s best (and only) urban axe throwing range! We’re bringing this quintessentially Canadian backyard sport indoors so you can experience something new with friends. It’s like darts, but with an axe.

250-590-3229 www.axeandgrind.org

Babcock Canada Inc. The Babcock team comprises highly qualified and experienced project managers and technical professionals. We provide platform design, integration and management services, ensuring complete lifecycle engineering support.

250-479-3393 www.babcockcanada.com Bone Creative Inc Our team of designers and marketers ensure quality service by doing all our work in-house.

Nothing gets lost in translation. We strive to keep clients through creativity, transparency, and great service!

250-984-2663 www.bonecreative.com Botanic Creative BOTANIC specializes in interior and exterior greenspace design/installation/maintenance and full florist services. Create beautiful, natural, wild spaces with BOTANIC. 250-240-2521 www.botaniccreative.ca

Air North | Yukon’s Airline Proud to provide safe, affordable and reliable jet and turboprop air services to more than 11 destinations across Canada.

867-668-2228 www.flyairnorth.com

EVENTS

at Cedar Hill Golf Course • central location • menus from $30 • capacity for up to 120 guests • great value • free parking

For details call: Geoff Parker 250-475-7156 geoff.parker@saanich.ca 1400 Derby Road Victoria BC

saanich.ca/golf

18

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Working together to build good business and great community.

{NewMembers} BYD Canada Company LTD BYD is a high-tech company devoted to technological innovations for a better life.

BYD is present in more than 200 cities around the world and was the number one global seller of new energy vehicles between 2015 and 2017.

250-580-8754 www.byd.com

Corvidae Environmental Consulting Inc. Corvidae has been in business since 2003, working side by side with our industry partners providing professional environmental consulting solutions for large infrastructure projects throughout Alberta, BC, and Saskatchewan.

250-642-0078 www.corvidaeenv.com

CrackerJackFlash CrackerJackFlash brings together strategic and visually driven services that are tailored to your specific needs. CJ*F can help you create your next authentic and memorable story through motivated design, photography and video.

250-580-7627 www.crackerjackflash.com

Caddy Bay Liquor Store Locally owned, independent liquor store, we enjoy having the flexibility to cater to our customers’ tastes. Good product selection and great service from friendly and knowledgeable staff is what we strive to deliver.

250-818-5960 www.caddybayliquor.com

Cosmedica Laser Centre We provide our clients with advanced skincare and individualized treatment plans, tailored to your specific needs. We are honoured to work hand-in-hand with our clients to help reach their goals and realize their full potential.

250-598-3300 www.cosmedica.ca

Creatrix Studio Creatrix Studio is an independent graphic design company providing creative design to help businesses and non-profits with their branding, logo design, advertising and marketing.

250-516-4807 www.creatrixstudio.ca

Costco Wholesale Canada Costco Wholesale is a membership based warehouse club offering great savings on a myriad of products and services for home and business. Join today and start saving!

250-391-1151 www.costco.ca

Da Silva Vineyards Celebrating our terroir diversity, we create small batches of single vineyard wines that showcase the unique appellations of British Columbia.

1-800-851-0903 www.dasilvavineyards.com

Cardinal Point Health Centre Cardinal Point Health Centre offers massage therapy, acupuncture, and naturopathic medicine services for the whole family.

250-598-3718 www.cardinalpointhealth.com Cedarhill Electric ltd Cedarhill Electric is a full services electrical contractor searching for electrical problems to solve. Big or small we do them all.

250-208-7043 www.cedarhillelectric.ca

DATATECH Business Center We offer yearly, monthly, hourly and virtual offices. Our office rentals include internet, phones and furniture, with shared reception, lunch room and copy room.

250-704-4430 www.datatechbusinesscentre.ca

Chef on The Run Fresh, nutritious meals for pickup or delivery.

Each week our chefs prepare seven entree meal choices containing the finest ingredients. We are committed to producing freshly made meals following the Canada Food Guide.

250-595-3151 www.chefontherun.ca Cintas First Aid & Safety Cintas leads the industry in supplying corporate identity uniform programs. We operate more than 400 facilities in North America — including six manufacturing plants and eight distribution centres.

250-858-5674 www.cintas.ca/firstaidsafety Coast Outdoor Advertising Ltd. Coast Outdoor Advertising offers design, production and installation services as well as billboard locations serving Vancouver Island communities as well as Prince George and central BC billboard locations.

250-388-3733 www.coastoutdoor.com

Working together to build good business and great community.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

19

{NewMembers} Deborah B Event Management Whether you are launching a new product or expressing gratitude to your colleagues and clients, Deborah B Event Management will execute an event that is sure to make a lasting impression.

250-882-4527 www.deborahbevents.com DeLuca Veale Investment Counsel Inc. DeLuca Veale Investment Counsel is an independent investment manager specializing in portfolios of stocks, bonds and our commercial real estate portfolio known as RealStream Income Properties.

250-897-4108 www.delucaveale.com Dr. C. Ross Crapo, INC The family dentists at Dr. Crapo & Associates have developed a strong reputation for helping patients with complex dental problems through the use of implant and restorative dentistry since 1980.

250-383-3368 www.drcrapo.com

Edwards Technical Writing Edwards Technical Writing produces high quality professional documentation, including: grant proposals, business proposals, user guides, training manuals, policies and procedures, technical reports, and scientific manuscripts.

250-704-4439 www.edwardstechnicalwriting.com

Fresh Prep Foods Inc. Easily cook incredible dinners. Fresh Prep helps busy people like you create worldclass dinners in minutes with prepared recipe ingredients delivered weekly to your door. No grocery shopping. Zero prep required.

604-569-2699 www.freshprep.ca

ENKON Information Systems Inc. ENKON Information Systems was incorporated in 1997 and has provided environmental and land management ERP solutions to Fortune 1000 companies, government organizations, and Crown Corporations since that time.

250-480-7103 www.enkon.com

Global Marine Group Global Marine is a market leader in subsea fibre optic cable installation and maintenance solutions to the telecoms sector among others. Recognized as a high quality, strategic partner, with a successful track record across the industry. +44-12-4570-2009 www.globalmarine.group

Forza Promotions Forza Promotions is an event promotion and planning firm delivering unique entertainment options through specialized events in Greater Victoria.

250-514-2323 www.forzapromotions.ca

Greater Victoria School District SD61 The Greater Victoria School District is committed to each student’s success in learning within a responsive and safe environment.

250-475-4159 www.sd61.bc.ca

Dr. Nancy Schmidt Inc. At our dental clinic we treat patients of all ages. We offer a wide range of dental services to improve and maintain your oral health.

250-385-3361 www.drnancyschmidtinc.com

An exciting benefit for you as a Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce member.

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Call 1-866-296-0888 or go to tdinsurance.com/victoriachamber The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by PRIMMUM INSURANCE COMPANY. It is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec and by TD Insurance Direct Agency Inc. in the rest of Canada. Our address: 50 Place Crémazie, 12th Floor, Montréal, Québec 2P 1B6. Due to provincial legislation, our car and recreational insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan.

All trade-marks are the property of their respective owners. ® The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

20 BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Working together to build good business and great community.

{NewMembers} GrowUP Greenwall Systems Canada GrowUp is the exclusive distributor of the Vicinity Modular Vertical Garden in North America. The system is the most flexible and cost effective greenwall system on the market today.

250-818-3873 www.growup.green Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria is a non-profit, non partisan, citizen’s advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and more accountable municipal government.

250-477-9907 www.grumpytaxpayers.com Inspire Sports Victoria Inspire Sports Victoria provides excellent programming, in a gymnastics setting, to people of all ages to promote life-long physical literacy.

250-590-5950 www.inspiresportsvictoria.com Iredale Architecture Iredale Architecture offers comprehensive design and project management services from consultation to completion. Our designs reflect local context, incorporating sustainable design principles and promoting a sense of culture within the community.

250-381-5582 www.iredale.ca Island Brothers Housing Services Let us manage your property and we will turn your home into a profitable vacation rental.

We provide you with excellent customer service so that you can gain a higher income with minimal attention. Leave the keys and we will take care of the rest.

778-680-6766 www.ibhs.ca Island Savings What makes Island Savings unique? It’s our relationships with our members, our relationships with our community and the relationship we cultivate between you and your money.

Brentwood Bay • 250-544-4041 Jubilee Branch • 250-592-4728 Pender Island • 250-629-6238 Salt Spring Island • 250-537-5587 Tuscany Village • 250-381-4728 Westshore • 250-474-7262 www.islandsavings.ca

Jones Bar-B-Que This is Texan Barbeque. Meat that makes your mouth water. Brisket to blow you away.

Pork that’ll put you down for the count. Jones Bar-B-Que is damn tasty.

778-265-4227 www.jonesgotmeat.com Kathryn Dafos: Endless Potential Strategic Planning Kathryn Dafos is a skilled Public Relations professional and Certified Lumina Learning practitioner who specializes in supporting organizations to achieve their goals through team development.

250-882-0909 www.kathryndafos.ca Kelly Carpet Cleaning Ltd. With over 30 years experience Kelly Carpet Cleaning offers a wide range of residential and commercial carpet cleaning services, including in-plant cleaning of all types of area rugs 250-475-6675 www.kellycarpetcleaning.com Kinetic Construction Since 1984, Kinetic has successfully completed hundreds of construction projects, using a variety of project delivery methods as a general contractor, construction manager and design-builder.

250-381-6331 www.kineticconstruction.com

Marilyn Ball, Real Estate Consultant A Vancouver Island native, Marilyn has been privileged to enjoy a successful real estate history in the Capital Region, consistently being a Gold MLS Realtor®. Marilyn earned an Honours degree from UVic, and top marks in real estate from UBC. 250-818-6489 www.ianheath-marilynball.com Marty Smith Motors Marty Smith specializes in local, low mileage vehicles. He takes pride in personally hand picking each vehicle on his lot.

250-812-1860 www.martysmithmotors.ca MomEase Baby Boutique We are a unique retailer specializing in innovative and functional baby gear and parenting accessories. From strollers to swaddles, car seats to carriers to cribs, our products are sure to help you parent with both style and ease!

778-265-5651 www.momease.ca Monarch Trancework Establishing a safe, comfortable, and potent hypnotic environment is our first step in trancework.

250-642-7936 www.monarchtrancework.com

Kingsbridge Management We are a full service hotel management company located in Greater Victoria. We specialize in the day-to-day operating of independent full service hotels.

250-940-7508 www.kingsbridgemanagement.com Leith Wheeler Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. is an independent, client-focused value manager established in 1982, representing a national client base of private clients, institutions and investment advisors.

604-787-1905 www.leithwheeler.com Magill Metal We supply and install metal for heating and air conditioning, furnace replacements including commercial and residential applications.

250-217-5949 www.magillmetal.com

Jiffy Lube Jiffy Lube provides customers with fast, professional service for their vehicles 250-389-1326 www.jiffylube.ca

Working together to build good business and great community.

MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC PROVIDING PRIMARY HEALTHCARE FOR VICTORIA’S MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION

doctorsoftheworld.ca

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

21

{NewMembers} Mortgages by Catherine Mortgages by Catherine can help you build wealth through equity in real estate. As well, build the foundations, budget and plan to help you purchase your first home, and achieve financial freedom.

778-835-4565 www.mortgagesbycatherine.com Mortgages For You Whether you’re purchasing a home for the first time, taking out equity from your home for investment or pleasure, or your current mortgage is simply up for renewal, Mortgages For You can help.

250-590-2500 www.mortgagesforyou2.com Mr. Booth Activation Spice up your corporate event, wedding or party by offering your guests a memorable experience with Mr. Booth Activation. Make your guest smile with instant prints and immediate phone download options for social sharing.

780-660-0610 www.mrboothvictoria.com Munro’s Books We offer a wide range of books from Canada, the U.S. and Britain, including an extensive selection of children’s titles.

250-382-2464 www.munrobooks.com

MW Custom Home Painting We are a family owned/operated painting business, offering quality service for over 20 years. Interior/exterior residential and commercial painting. No job is too big or small.

250-720-1808 Nanuq Law Nanuq Law is a small boutique firm in Victoria, dedicated to providing quality service to clients across Vancouver Island and the mainland, ensuring that client’s legal rights are protected.

778-433-5297 www.nanuqlaw.com

Property Guys Victoria For sale by owner real estate consulting and facilitation.

250-857-3900 www.propertyguys.com

Navigator Ltd. With mandates from more than 40 of Canada’s top 100 companies, Navigator is Canada’s leading high-stakes public strategy and communications firm.

604-499-6680 www.navltd.com

Raincoast Print Shop We link the traditional screen printing process with customer service of years past to deliver a finished product you are truly satisfied with. T-shirt, hoodies, outerwear, team jerseys, screen printing — all with free graphic design work.

403-431-6800 www.raincoastvictoriascreenprinting.com

Pacific Group Developments Pacific Group Developments, with its skilled staff, serves Victoria, Duncan and Nanaimo offering supportive services including excavating, oil tank removals, landscaping, concrete forming and finishing, drain tile installation, demolition and more.

250-889-0007 www.pacificgroupdevelopments.com

Redline Management Services Inc. Committed to assisting small and medium sized businesses match their financial and information management functions to the business vision.

250-870-9093 www.redlinemanagement.ca

Pacific Ridge Landscapes We offer outstanding design, quality and attention to detail. From the first design meeting to the final walk through of your finished landscape, we take care of every step. All you have to do is sit back and watch your garden dreams come to life.

250-891-1608 www.pacificridgelandscapes.com PalCare Enterprises Inc. Palcare works hand in hand with high standards R&D partners to develop new innovative formulas & products that meet health needs and are up to the healthcare professionals expectations.

250-590-4850 www.palcare.ca Paris Jewellers Paris Jewellers is a proudly Canadian owned and operated jewellery retailer with 27 locations across four provinces. Visit us in-store and online.

778-433-8895 www.parisjewellers.ca

22 BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Philips Publishing Group Since 1974 Philips Publishing Group has served the maritime, tourism and municipal communities; specializing in the publication of newspapers and magazines as well as developing and managing conferences and events for these markets.

250-508-5797 www.philipspublishing.com

Reliance Insurance Agencies We help busy executives identify, measure, and reduce their cost risk so that they have more time to focus on managing and growing the company.

250-483-1271 www.reliance.ca RE-LY Metal Making Greater Victoria homes and gardens more beautiful with custom metal arts and designs.

250-885-1332 www.relymetal.com ReStart Computer Inc. Apple authorized sales and service centre.

New and used Mac & PC computer sales.

Laptop and projector rentals.

250-995-3020 www.restartcomputer.com S. Rogers Able Company Able company uses industrial rope access techniques to carry out maintenance duties on high-rise buildings and other high elevation structures.

250-884-8116 www.ableropes.com

Working together to build good business and great community.

{NewMembers} SE Health & Elizz Provider of private-pay long and short-term home health care needs, along with other personal and supportive care services. 97% of patients recommend us to family and friends.

250-385-0444 www.sehc.com Some Kinda Software, Inc. Some Kinda Software builds affordable, custom, mobile apps for small and mediumsized organizations. Contact us for a free consultation to tell us your idea.

778-679-4083 www.somekindasoftware.com Spark Strategic Group Spark provides marketing, advertising, business development and community engagement strategies to grow success.

Owners are Bruce Williams and Amanda Wilson.

250-216-5663 www.sparkstrategicgroup.com Spectrum Appraisal Spectrum Appraisal founder Robert Knezacek specializes in providing certified machinery and equipment appraisals to local business professionals and firms across North America.

250-896-4528 www.spectrumappraisal.net

SPINCO Victoria SPINCO offers structured, full-body spin classes designed to strengthen the body, energize the mind and feed the soul.

Since 2014, the goal of each SPINCO class has been to work together as one team, one bike, moving in unison to the beat of the music.

778-440-6888 www.spinco.ca St. Margaret’s School St. Margaret’s School (SMS) is Western Canada’s only all-girls, independent day and boarding school located in Victoria, BC. SMS is an international centre for girls’ learning and leadership development.

250-479-7171 www.stmarg.ca Terra Floor Plans Terra Floor Plans creates modernized and energy efficient small house plans buildable in a factory or on a site anywhere in the world. We believe that just because life is complicated does not mean your house plan has to be.

250-746-9302 www.terrafloorplans.com

Working together to build good business and great community.

The Narwhal News Society The Narwhal is a non-profit online magazine.

In 2018, The Narwhal was the recipient of four Canadian Online Publishing Awards, including silver for best publication. www.thenarwhal.ca The Original FARM Downtown Since 2015, FARM has been providing safe access to cannabis in a discreet, professional environment. All FARM customers must be 19 years or older.

Downtown • 250-940-4688 Hillside • 250-592-0027 www.farmvictoria.com Ticket Rocket Ticket Rocket is a full service box office online and in person. Ticket buyers have easy access to tickets and information. Promoters, venues, and teams experience clarity, security, and support for events of all sizes through Ticket Rocket’s flight. www.ticketrocket.co Topliss Law Group Topliss Law Group provides solicitor services to empower client autonomy.

250-598-1931 www.toplisslaw.ca

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019 23

{NewMembers} Trees | Island Grown Trees has deep roots in the Vancouver Island craft cannabis industry. We believe that artisanal cannabis is a cornerstone of our local BC communities and economies, and that it provides life-changing benefits to our customers.

Alpha St • 778-265-8277 Yates St • 778-265-3788 www.treesdispensary.com Vessel Liquor Store Locally owned and operated liquor store, supporting authentic wine, spirits and ales, as well as the people who make them. We offer a complete selection of quality products and strive to provide outstanding service and value to our customers.

778-265-8375 www.vesselliquor.com VI Roofing With over 40 years of combined experience in the roofing trade, we provide workmanship for the domestic and commercial markets. In need of a new roof, repairs, attic ventilation or any other skilled workmanship? Look no further!

250-857-4566 www.viroofing.ca

Victoria Literacy Connection Society We help children, youth and adults improve their literacy skills, including reading, writing, math and basic computer skills, by providing one-on-one and group sessions.

250-385-0014 www.victorialiteracyconnection.ca Viewpoint Viewpoint is a leader in the independent assessment industry. We strongly believe in developing long-term partnerships with our clients, in order to provide them with longlasting, strategic business benefits.

250-881-7885 www.vp-group.ca Villa Eyrie Resort | Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit World-class spa, restaurant, hotel and motorsports playground less than an hour from downtown Victoria. Nestled on top of a mountain, you can indulge all of your senses and drive your adrenaline. Take a spin up to both locations.

250-856-0188 www.villaeyrie.com

Watkins Wheeler Group Our team is committed to one thing: ensuring our clients are confident that their personal financial future is secure.

250-389-2126 www.watkinswheelergroup.ca Whitfield Foodservice Equipment Whitfield Foodservice Equipment is a locally owned and operated company dealing with all home and industrial coffee machines.

250-744-5432 www.whitfieldfoodservice.com Windjack Health & Fitness Windjack Health & Fitness team takes a holistic approach to working out. They incorporate natural bio-hacks, and cutting edge science-based personal training techniques to increase your overall wellbeing, reduce stress and get you super fit.

778-350-3176 www.windjackfitness.com Yelp Victoria Connecting people with great local businesses.

403-466-6016 www.yelp.ca/victoria *New members up to November 30, 2018.

24 BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

Working together to build good business and great community.

Sheri Kasnik Cash Management Advisor Island Savings

Here at The Chamber we know that business grows and runs better when smoothed by the influence of connections.

We want to help you with that.

Here are two recent stories of people who met valuable business connections through The Chamber. More profiles at victoriachamber.ca/met-at-the-chamber.

“The Chamber's Member Networking Breakfasts are a good opportunity to build a relationship,” Kasnik says. “You can connect people with other people, which is part of what my job is — connecting people.”

Cynthia Durand-Smith

Director BC Cancer Foundation Vancouver Island

Sheri Kasnik and Cynthia Durand-Smith Evening mixers are fantastic fun, but sometimes people are tied up after work or they prefer more formal ways of making friends. For Sheri Kasnik and Cynthia Durand-Smith, the best time to network is before the day begins.

Kasnik, cash management advisor at Island Savings, and Durand-Smith, Vancouver Island director for the BC Cancer Foundation, met over breakfast.

More specifically, at a Chamber Member Networking Breakfast — one of the many opportunities The Chamber hosts to keep the business community connected.

As an organization that survives on the generosity of others, making connections with businesses is key to being able to thrive and continue the foundation’s ground-breaking work.

Kasnik agrees, adding she uses The Chamber’s calendar of events as a foundation for planning her schedule.

She likes the variety of opportunities to connect, and the calibre of seminars and “This is the beginning of a long-standing speakers who want to talk directly to CONNECT HEARING – VICTORIA OF COMMERCE MAGAZINE relationship,” Durand-Smith says. “I find CHAMBER Greater Victoria’s business community. this Chamber is very informative,4.94” even just × 4.7” “We 11/28/18 are attracting some very powerful reading BizNews for details of upcoming people and I think we deserve that.” events and news about local businesses.”

“It’s excellent, it works,” says Kasnik, who spends her day building relationships with people in the business community. “I was looking for a way to meet as many people as possible.”

Networking breakfasts steal a page from speed-dating’s playbook by taking the preamble of schmoozing out of the equation. These a.m. events offer a chance for business people to give their elevator pitch, and listen to other people around the table give theirs. A time limit ensures everyone gets a chance to speak, and a set rotation means everyone in the room is guaranteed to meet. Oh, and it comes with breakfast.

“It’s a good opportunity to build a relationship,” Kasnik says. “You can connect people with other people, which is part of what my job is — connecting people.”

At one of the breakfasts, Kasnik discovered Durand-Smith and the women immediately saw the mutual benefits of getting to know each other.

Durand-Smith was able to show decisionmakers at Island Savings some of the cutting-edge research at BC Cancer.

“The work being done here is mind blowing. How wonderful to know it’s happening on our very island. We don’t throw around the words world-class often — this is world class,” Durand-Smith says.

Keeping up with the conversation should be simple. We hear you.

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888.850.9979 connecthearing.ca We have 6 clinics located in the Victoria area.

Call us today for your FREE hearing test.

VAC, WCB, WSIB, WorkSafeBC, ADP & ODSP accepted. Registered under the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC. *Free hearing tests are only applicable for customers over 50 years of age. No purchase required. Some conditions may apply. †Based on national physician referrals over the tenure of the corporation’s Canadian business operations compared to the disclosed referral count of leading competitors. ®CAA, CAA logo and CAA Rewards trademarks owned by, and use is authorized by, the Canadian Automobile Association.

Working together to build good business and great community.

BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019 25 FILE NAME: CH-18-0304_November_11-30_Print-Ad_We-Hear-You_Victoria-Chamber

Capt. (N) Jason Boyd Base Commander CFB Esquimalt

Christina Clarke and Capt. (N) Jason Boyd For more than a century and a half, CFB Esquimalt and the Songhees Nation have co-existed next door to each other.

They share the harbour, rely on the same transportation links and are two of the biggest stakeholders in Greater Victoria.

“The economy is an ecosystem, and The Chamber is an excellent way to become connected.”

Christina Clarke Executive Director Songhees Nation

But, sometimes, even neighbours need a little help getting to know each other.

CFB Esquimalt’s Base Commander Capt. (N) Jason Boyd was introduced to Songhees Nation Executive Director Christina Clarke when she was named to The Chamber’s Board of Directors for 2018.

“It was a great way to open discussions about how we can partner on things,” says Boyd, who has represented CFB Esquimalt on The Chamber’s board since 2017.

“One of the things I’m trying to do more is connect the base with the community.”

For Clarke, meeting Boyd has been an opportunity to highlight work being done by local First Nations while earning business for the Songhees Events and Catering Company.

“The base held an Indigenous Awareness Event at the Songhees Wellness Centre in June, which brought several hundred personnel to the Wellness Centre,” Clarke says. “This event has helped

deepen relationships between Songhees community members and our neighbours at CFB Esquimalt.”

The connection makes it easier for both organizations to develop a better understanding of each other’s heritage and traditions.

“It’s important to learn about their culture, but also important for them to learn about us, and about a life in the navy — especially for youth,” Boyd says, noting the potential for recruiting new members.

First Nations have been traditionally underrepresented in the military.

Versatile and convenient meeting space, located in Victoria’s beautiful inner harbour.

As one of the region’s top employers, CFB Esquimalt has many of the same workforce challenges facing Greater Victoria’s business community. As members of The Chamber’s Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, Boyd and Clarke have worked together to help shape advocacy priorities for the region. Boyd specifically credits the role for introducing him to provincial government officials who were keen to discuss potential solutions to affordable housing and child care shortages affecting military personnel.

Ideal for smaller corporate meetings or workshops.

Good relationships are key to getting things done, Clarke says.

330 Quebec Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1W3 250.381.3456 | huntingdonmanor.com | catering@huntingdonmanor.com

26 BUSINESSMATTERS | Winter 2019

“You never know which connections will bring you new business opportunities, new collaborative projects, or new ideas to take your business to the next level,” Clarke says. “The economy is an ecosystem, and The Chamber is an excellent way to become connected.”

Working together to build good business and great community.

Immigrant Employment Council of BC

Connecting Employers to Immigrant talent

IEC-BC provides BC employers with the resources and tools to find, hire, and retain immigrant talent. > Employer facing and employer driven solutions for your labour needs > FREE resources to help you build a diverse and inclusive workforce > Webinars on how to assess and select the best immigrant talent > Access to 600+ immigrant candidates with a wide range of skills and experience –including IT, engineering, finance, HR, manufacturing

iecbc.ca

Store may not be exactly as shown.

Store may not be exactly as shown.

NEW NAME. NEW FOOD. NEW LOOK. NEW NAME. NEW FOOD. NEW LOOK. Exciting franchise opportunities now available coast to coast Exciting franchise opportunities now available coast to coast M&M Food Market is looking for entrepreneurial-spirited food enthusiasts to partner M&M Market is looking entrepreneurial-spirited food enthusiasts partner with aFood growing market leaderfor celebrating over 35 years of proven success,towith close with a growing celebrating over 35 years of proven success, with close to 350 locationsmarket coast leader to coast! to locations coast toPartners: coast!

We350 offer our Franchise

We offer our Franchise Partners: • The exciting opportunity to be part of a recently reinvented brand which reaches a • The exciting to be part of a recently reinvented brand which reaches a broad base ofopportunity consumers. baseproduct of consumers.

• broad A diverse line made with the finest ingredients so you can feel good about • Aselling diverse product made with the finest ingredients so you can feel good about to your loyalline customers. to your loyaltraining customers.

• selling A comprehensive program and ongoing operational support.

•• AInnovative comprehensive training program programs. and ongoing operational support. and creative marketing •For Innovative and creativeonmarketing programs. further information how to become our newest partner, For information on how to become our newest partner, visitfurther our website www.mmfoodmarket.com or call 1-800-461-0171. visit our website www.mmfoodmarket.com or call 1-800-461-0171.

Almost 100 100 stores stores now now rebranded rebranded Almost Working together to build good business and great community.